HOOD RIVER — Water sports fanatics from across the country flocked to the Hood River event site on July 8-11 for North America’s largest amateur kiteboarding race, Kiteboard4Cancer. In it’s 16th year, the event brought in nearly $250,000 in donations, sponsorships and fundraising. All proceeds will go to Project Koru and fund adventure camps for their young adult cancer survivors. Chair on the board of directors Steve Fisher said he was skeptical at first when participation was low just a week and a half before the event.
The long list of awaited recreational events continues this summer at the Hood River Event Site with the 12th annual Kiteboard 4 Cancer event this weekend.
The Columbia River will be getting a lot of attention next week as it hosts sailing, windsurfing, paddling, and kiteboarding competitions, though not all at the same time or location, as the Gorge heads into the height of its summer recreation season.
The beach at the Port of Skamania in Stevenson was crowded with spectators and kiteboarders alike all last weekend, who came from around the Gorge, around the country, and around the world to take in the 16th Annual Bridge of the Gods Kite Fest.
Before the event kicked off Friday night, Kiteboarding 4 Cancer (KB4C) had already achieved a significant milestone, celebrating its 10th anniversary. But by the time the last kite had come back to shore at the Event Site, it was clear that KB4C had reached an even bigger one.